NJC indicts Taraba Chief Judge, recommends immediate retirement

Chief Judge of Taraba State High Court, Justice Philibus Andetur, is set for compulsory retirement after an indictment.

National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended his immediate retirement following his indictment in a petition by Senator Muhammed Sanusi Dagash.

Senator Dagash had in the petition accused the Chief Judge of suppressing judgment by failing to rule in the case with Suit No: TRSJ/134/17 involving Mallam Kassim Yahaya Ahmad Vs Shittu Wurmo & Shuwari Farms Limited.

This is contained in the statement on Friday by the Director of Information of the NJC, Soji Oye.

It said the decision was reached at the council’s 101st meeting in which the investigative committee found Justice Andetur to have breached the provisions of Section 294(1) of the Nigerian Constitution.

It “therefore recommended him for compulsory retirement with immediate effect to Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State.”

It said the council also considered the report of the Complaints Assessment Committees and agreed with its recommendation to empanel four Committees to further investigate four of the seven petitions forwarded to it, and dismissed three others, one for being subjudice and two over the retirement of the judges.

The statement said the council considered the list of candidates presented by its interview Committee at the end of deliberations, which recommended the appointment of six Heads of Court such as Justices Ikpambese Maurice Ahemba (Benue); Hafsat Abdulrahman (Adamawa); Abiodun Ayodele Adebara (Kwara); Iyabo Subulade Yerima (Oyo); Ibrahim Wakil Sudi (Grand Kadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal, Adamawa); and Audu James Balami President Court of Appeal, Adamawa).

The council also considered the list of five judges for Plateau State High Court such as Charles Donglong, Ashahabu Suleiman Wase, Shikamma Kassam Sheltu, Mary Abah Izam, and Nanle Titus Komak.